Ball making machine



Aug. 30, 1949, F. DERFLER BALL MAKING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1947 N EE . lNVENTOR FR/INK DERFLER av 1 ATTORNEY tion of the whole structure.

PatentedAug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALL MAKING MACHINE Frank Deriler, East St. Louis, IlL, assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 4, 1947, Serial No. 752,503

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved ball making machine, particularly to a machine for making balls from pulverulent material. While the invention is described with reference to the making of balls, it is to be understood that it applies to the agglomeration or compaction of various pulverulent materials into any roughly spherical form.

The invention is particularly applicable to the production of balls'from ground alumina. Such balls may be made by rotating action in an agglomerating device of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,413,693, wherein it is explained that the pulverulent material and a binder may be intermixed and agglomerated in a rotating structure. The present invention has for an object the provision of an improved ball making machine, one which is capable of thoroughly processing the materials in a limited space without unnecessary reprocessing. It is a particular object of the invention to prevent breaking up of the balls already formed, or partially formed in the machine during the circulation and/or recirculation of the same.

The invention may best be described and explained with reference to a preferred embodiment which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a ball making machine, taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in section, of the machine shown in Fig. 1, the view being taken along the line of 11-11 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, the ball making machine comprises a rotatable structure containing four concentric, substantially cylindrical processing chambers. All of these chambers are substantially closed to access at the end of the "structure which is axially supported and driven,

in a manner to be later described. The opposite ends of the chambers may be open and are unsupported, except by way of an intermediate supporting arrangement, also to be later described. The four chambers are: an inner mixing chamber i, a second return mixing chamber 5, a sorting chamber I0, and an outer return -mixing chamber l5. Further, it will be seen that curved lifters I! are adapted to transfer material from outer chamber I5 to inner chamber I during rota- Since the machine may best be described by reference to the processing operations carried on in it, the various detailed parts will now be described in connection with their function. I

The inner chamber l is adapted to receive 2 pulverulent material, and a binder therefor, to be formed into balls. The pulverulent material, binder, and partially formed balls are mixed by the rotation of the inner chamber 1 and subjected to a rolling action, the latter action being accentuated by longitudinal dams 2 on the wall of the inner chamber I. A desired gradual enlargement of the inner chamber l, in the direction of its open end, has been provided, so that the materials tend to flow toward the open or unsupported end of inner chamber I. To retain the bulk of the pulverulent material in chamber l, a peripheral dam 3 is provided near the open end thereof, while a retaining ring 4 is added to the open end to regulate the discharge of partially formed balls. The partially formed balls pass out of inner chamber 1 over the peripheral dam 3 and the retaining ring 4 to the retaining ring 6 of the second return mixing chamber 5. In the chamber 5 the partially formed balls and pulverulent material carried therewith are further mixed by the rotation of the chamber and subjected to a rolling action accentuated by longitudinal dams I. Regulation of the discharge of materials .processed in chamber 5 is obtained by adjusting the sliding gates B controlling the openings through which the material passes to the sorting chamber In. The materials in chamber 5 gradually flow in the direction of the gates 8 at the end of chamber 5 opposite the open end provided with the retaining ring 6.

It may be noted that the second return mixing chamber 5 and the sorting chamber in are separated and mutually supported by spacers 9.

The materials reaching sorting chamber l0 flow toward the open end thereof and pass over a substantially cylindrical sorting screen ll forming part of the sorting chamber iii. A desired gradual enlargement of sorting chamber Ill, in the direction of its open end, has been provided so as to induce the flow described. Incompletely processed balls, and pulverulent material carried therewith, pass through the screen ll into the outer return mixing chamber l5. Completely processed balls are forced to pass over the sorting screen H, over a peripheral dam l2, outwardly over a delivery extension 13 of the sorting chamber II, and to a suitable receiver. The sorting screen Ii is held in place by suitable screen supporting rods [4. The materials passing through the screen II and into the chamber l5 are subjected to rolling action caused to flow in the direction of the lifters I! by the conveyor dams IS on the wall of the chamber l5, and by the desired gradual enlargement of chamber l5. It

3 may be noted that the sorting chamber I and outer return mixing chamber I are separated and mutually supported by spacers l9.

The materials in the outer chamber l5 flow into the area traversed by the curved lifters 11. It will be seen that each lifter I1 is merged tangentially with the wall of chamber H5 at its outer end and forms an extension of the wall of the inner chamber I at its inner end. The lifters I! are curved in the direction of rotation of the structure and thereby they pick up the incompletely processed balls, and pulverulent material carried therewith, and transfer the same to the inner chamber I by a rolling action which is smooth. Extreme lifting and dropping of the materials is thereby avoided. The curved lifters II, where they form extensions of the wall of the inner chamber I, also merge with diagonal conveyor sections 18 which move the material longitudinally into the main body of the inner chamher I. curved lifters and diagonal conveyor sections, one lifter and its associated diagonal conveyor section have the simple reference numerals IT and It applied thereto. Another curved lifter has the reference numeral "a, and the corresponding conveyor section has the reference numeral 18a. Likewise, curved lifter l'l'b corresponds to conveyor section I8b, and curved lifter I 10 corresponds to conveyor section I8c.

The entire rotatable structure is supported from a suitable base 20, one end of which supports a peripheral rail 2| around the intermediate portion of the outer chamber 15, and the other end of which supports the bearing for the axial drive shaft 22. On 'the shaft 22 a suitable sprocket 23 may be provided for rotating the structure as desired.

For clarity in identifying the various It will be seen that the embodiment of the invention described represents a specific means and mode of operation of the invention, and it will be understood that other embodiments of the invention may be constructed.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved machine for making balls from pulverulent material comprising a structure generally open at one end, rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and containing four concentric, substantially cylindrical processing chambers, means for rotating said structure, the inner of said chambers being a mixing chamber adapted to discharge pulverulent material and incompletely processed balls at its generally open end, the second of said chambers being a return mixing chamber surrounding said inner mixing chamber and having openings at the end opposite its generally open end for discharging said materials therefrom, the third of said chambers being a sorting chamber surrounding said second return mixing chamber and having a substantially cylindrical sorting screen forming a part thereof for permitting pulverulent material and incompletely processed balls to pass therethrough and for forcing completely processed balls formed from pulverulent material to be discharged longitudinally thereover toward its open end, the outer of said chambers being a return mixing chamber adapted to receive the balls and pulverulent material passing through said sorting screen, lifters at the end of said outer return mixing chamber opposite its generally open end, curved in the direction of rotation of said structure and terminating at their outer ends substantially tangentially with the wall of said outer chamber for smoothly lifting and discharging balls and pulverulent material into said inner mixing chamher during rotation, said curved lifters forming at their inner ends extensions of the wall of said inner mixing chamber, and diagonal conveyor sections in said inner mixing chamber merging with the inner ends of said curved lifters adapted to move the balls and pulverulent material longitudinally into the main body of said inner mixing chamber.

2. An improved machine for making balls from pulverulent material comprising a structure generally open at one end, rotatable about a sub stantially horizontal axis, and containing four concentric, substantially cylindrical processing chambers, means for rotating said structure, the inner of said chambers being a mixing chamber of gradually increasing size in the direction of its open end, the second of said chambers being a return mixing chamber surrounding said inner mixing chamber, a plurality of adjustable gates at the end opposite the open end of said second mixing chamber for regulating the discharge of materials from said second mixing chamber, the third of said chambers being a sorting chamber of gradually increasing size in the direction of its open end surrounding said second return mixing chamber and having a substantially cylindrical sorting screen forming a part thereof for permitting pulverulent material and incompletely processed balls to pass therethrough and for forcing completely processed balls formed from pulverulent material to be discharged longitudinally thereover, the outer of said chambers being a return mixing chamber of gradually increasing size in the direction opposite to that of said inner and sorting chambers adapted to receive the balls and pulverulent material passing through said sorting screen, curved lifters at one end of said outer return mixing chamber for smoothly lifting and discharging balls and pulverulent material into said inner mixing chamber during rotation, said curved lifters forming at their inner ends extensions of the wall of said inner mixing chamber, and diagonal conveyor sections in said inner mixing chamber merging with the inner ends of said curved lifters adapted to move the balls and pulverulent material longitudinally into the main body of said inner mixing chamber.

. FRANK DERFLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,973,002 Kroepfie Sept. 11, 1934 1,973,812 Johnson Sept. 18, 1934 1,980,130 Fasting Nov. 6, 1934 2,112,848 Jackson Apr. 5, 1938 2,332,957 Carney Oct. 19, 1943 2,413,693 Derfler Jan. 7, 1947 

